Railroad-gate



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

G. W. WAY 8v A. F. HILL.

RAILROAD GATE.

No. 320,827. Patented June 23, 1885.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets--Sheet 2.

G. W. WAY & A. F. HILL.

RAILROAD GATE.

No. 820,827. y Patented June 28, 1885.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

G. W. WAY & A. P. HILL.

(No Model.)

RAILROAD GATE.

PatentedJune 23, 1885.

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' vfimi. vzvmd A ffm/ne y UNITED STATES yPATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE WELLs WAY, OF PORTLAND, AND ALMON FRANKLIN HILL, OF

DEERING, AssIGNORs To THE HILL a WAY GATE COMPANY, OF FORT- LAND, MAINE.

RAILROAD-GATE.

SPECFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 320,827, dated .Tune 23, 1,885.

I Application tiled January 4, |884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern/e Be it known that we, GEORGE WELLs WAY,

a citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at Portland, in the county of Cumberland, in the State of Maine, and ALMON FRANKLIN HILL, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Deering, in the county of Cumberland, inthe State of Maine,

haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Gates, of which the following is a specification sufficiently full, clear,

and exact to enable any person skilled in the art to which the invention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to I5 the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof.

The invention relates to gates which may be operated either by hand or automatically by the passage of trains.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple mechanism which willoperate with certainty to Open andclose the gate.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a casing or support of the gate-actuating mechanism. Fig. 2 is a tranverse section of the same. Figs. 3, 4, 56, and 7 are detail views of parts of the actuating mechanism. Fig. 8 is an elevation of the hand-lever and its support 3d in connection with the actuating-chain. Fig.

9 is a plan View of a section of the track,

y showing the lever in connection therewith for automatically operating the gate. Fig. 10 is aside elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 9.` Fig. 11 is an end elevation thereof. Fig. 12 is a side view of the actuating-cam designed to be attached to the locomotive or some other part of the train. Fig. 13 is a plan view of the under side of said cam. Fig. 14 is a view of the alarm mechanism. Fig. 15 is .an enlarged transverse section of the upper portion of the casing containing the actuating Inechanism, showing the alarm mechanism in connection therewith. Fig. 16 is a side elevation of the gate complete.

An upright casing, Q, is placed at the side of the railway-track at its intersection with the roadway. This casing serves as a support 5o for the gate and its actuating mechanism, and

incloses the latter, so as to protect it from the weather. The casing is preferably construct- -ed of cast iron,with a dome-shaped top, and

provided with bearings in its sides for a shaft, a, which extends transversely through the casing and projects at one side thereof. A gatearm, w, is fixed to the projecting end of this shaft. Vithin the casing, fixed to said shaft, is an oscillating beam, a, which is normally held at an incline of forty-five degrees, more or less, to the horizontal, the gate-arm vbeing arranged in such relation to said beam that when the latter is at its normal incline said arm is in a vertical position and the gate open; but when the beam is oscillated, so as to incline in the opposite direction, the gate-arm is in a horizontal position and the gate closed. This beam is provided with a longitudinal slot in which slides a carriage, S, for oscillating the same. 7o

The beam is provided at each end with a pivoted latch, b, which is pressed upon by a spring, c, and takes into a notch, gj, in the carriage whenever the latter reaches either end Ot' the slot. Latches are pivoted within the 7 5 easing and adapted to grasp pins c at either end of the beam as it completes its oscillating stroke.

The carriage is provided on one side with slotted projections lz, for releasing the latches 8o i t'. Stops d d, attached to the casing near its top, serve to release the catches b from the carriage as the beam is oscillated. This carriage may bc composed of two side plates, gh,

supported on rollers f f.

A forked arm, k, is pivoted to the carriage S, and the elongated arm thereof extends downward and passes through an eye, p, attached to the casing. An expansive spring, Z, surrounds this arm between said eye and the go forked portion of the arm, and tends to hold the carriage at the upper end of the slot in the oscillating beam, and also to oscillate the beam.

A draft-chain, m, is connected to an eye O11 said fork and passes under a roller, g, pivoted 95 in bearings r, cast on or fixed to the bottom of the casing, and extends horizontally along the track to the point of connection with t-he actuating-lever. This chain is provided with a spring, n, which imparts elasticity thereto and Ice' prevents breakage.

When a hand-lever is used for operating the may be.

gate, a casing, D, is provided at the side of the track, through one side of which the draftchain enters and passes over a pulley, B, and is connected to a lever, C, pivoted at the top of said casing.

The mechanism for automatically actuating the gate consists of a lever, F, having a roller, E, at its outer end, said lever being fixed to a shaft, G, pivoted transversely to the track, one end of said shaft projecting outside of the track into a casing, I. Within this casing, fixed to said shaft, is adownwardly-extending arm, H, to which the drat`t-chainm is attached. This arm swings within the casing and draws the cha-in whenever the lever F is pressed down. For actuating this lever a plate, P, having a double incline or cam on its under side, is attached to the engine-tender or some ear of the train.

A spring, s, at the bottom of the casing Q, is connected at one end to the draft-chain and at they other end to the said casing, and tends to draw back the draft-chain when the actuating-lever is released. The draft-chain m Vpasses through a tube, t, which connects the casing Q with the casing I or D, as the case This tube serves to protect the chain and keep it in working order.

The gate-arm WV, which constitutes the gate, is preferably constructed in skeleton form, so as to have the appearance of a large bar, and yet be light and easily operated. To this end it is composed of three or more small wooden bars, which are fixed at theirinner ends within a metallic casting, A, which is pivoted to the shaft, and converge toward each other, and are Y united at their outer ends. This casting is composed of a shank, A', provided with a hole, y, and of attaching-tangs A2, projecting from one end of the shank, near opposite edges thereof, the tang near one edge being opposite the space between the tangs of the other edge, said arms being provided with bolt-holes y, through which the bolts for fastening the bars composing the gate-arm pass, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

An alarm mechanism is attached to the casing Q and actuated automatically with the closing of the gate. This mechanism may be of any suitable construction.

The mechanism herein shown will-now be described. A bell, R, is attached to the outside of the easing Q, a slot being left in the casing beside the bell, through which the bellstriking lever O projects. This lever is pivoted inside the casing at P, and is provided at its inner end with a pivoted dog or ,pawl, L. A spring, M, is attached to this lever and presses against the pawl, tending to hold the latter in an upright position. A toothed wheel or segment, K, is attached to the shaft u and rides over the pawl when the shaft is turned to close the gate, pressing down the inner end of the striking-lever O and raising the outer end thereof. A' contractile spring, N, is attached at its upper end to the casing and at its lower end to the striking-lever P,.behind the pivot, and tends to throw down the outer end of the striking-lever, causing-the bell to ring as the outer ends of the teeth of the seg'- ment release the dog. When the shaft is turned to open the gate, the dog or pawl turns on its pivot against the spring M, and permits the shaft to rotate. A

The operation is as follows: The parts being in the position shown in Fig. l, and the gate open, the hand-lever C is raised or the tracklever F depressed y by a passing train. The draft-chain orV line-wire m is thereby pulled, and the carriage S drawn down the inclined slot of the oscillating beam a to the left-hand end thereof, and striking the latch z" releases it-from the pin e', and leaves the beam free to oscillate, the carriage being grasped and held by thelever b. As soon as the actuating-lever C or F is released, the spring s draws back or returns the line-wire, and the upward pressure of the expansive spring L causes the beam to oscillate through a quarter of a circle, thereby turning the shaft u and swinging the gate-arm intoahorizontal position,closing the gate. Just before the gate is closed the outer end of the latch b strikes the stop d and releases the carriage, so that it is free to be drawn down to the opposite end of the beam, which occurs when the train reaches the lever on the opposite side of the roadway, or when the operator actuates said lever.

The opening of the gate is the reverse of the operation just described.

We do not limit ourselves to the specific construct-ion of the several parts as herein shown, as they may be varied in their details without changing the character of this invention.

Two train-actuated levers are located one at each side of the carriage-way,about two hundred yards therefrom, and a double gate may be used, as shown in Fig. 16, in which case double chains are employed connecting the gate-arm-actuating mechanisms with the actuating-levers, and the oscillating beams of the respective mechanisms are normally inclined in opposite directions.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the shaft, an oscillating beam fixed thereto, a carriage movable on said beam, a draft-chain connected with said carriage for shifting the same, and a shifting line of power, also connected to said carriage, for oscillating the beam.

2. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a rockshaft, an oscillating beam fixed thereto,a carriage movable on said beam, a draft-chain connected to said carriage for shifting the same on the beam, and a spring for oscillating the beam.

3. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a shaft, a gate-arm operated thereby, an oscillating beam attached to said shaft, a carriage movable on said beam, latches pivoted to said beam for grasping the carriage at IOO IIO

the ends of its movement, and stops for releasing said latches at the extremes of the oscillaticns of the beam.

4. The combination of a shaft, a gate-arm operated thereby, an oscillating beam fixed to said shaft, latches for grasping the downward ends of said beam, a carriage movable on said beam for releasing the latch therefrom, lneans for shifting said carriage, and means for oscillating the beam to close or open the gate-arm.

.5. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the shaft, a gate-arm operated thereby, an oscillating beam fixed to said shaft, a carriage movable on said beam, a draft-chain connected to said carriage for shifting the same, and provided with a spring for imparting elasticity to the chain, a spring for drawing back the draft-chain when the latter is released, and means for automatically oscillating the beam.

6. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a shaft, a gate-arm operated thereby, an oscillating beam fixed to said shaft and provided with a longitudinal slot, a carriage movable in said slot, means for shifting said earriage,a latch for locking said arm, adapted to be released by the movement of the carriage, and meansfor oscillating the beam to open or close the gate.

7. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a shaft, a gate-arm operated thereby, an oscillating beam fixed to said shaft and provided with a longitudinal slot, a carriage movable in said slot, a forked arm connected to said carriage, an eye through which said arm projects, a draft chain connected to said arm, and an expansive spring surrounding the same for oscillating the beam.

8. A skeleton gate-arm consisting of a casting composed of a shank having a pivot-hole, and provided with bolt-holes and tangs, said tangs projecting from one side of said shank near opposite edges thereof, the tangs of one edge being opposite the space between the tangs of the other edge, and converging rails attached to said fangs, substantially as described.

9.. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a shaft, a gate operated thereby, an

oscillating beam attached to said shaft, means for oscillating said beam to open or close the gate, a bell or alarm, and mechanism for automatically sounding the latter simultaneously with the closing ofthe gate. v

10. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a shaft, a gate operated thereby, an oscillating beam attached to said shaft, a carriage movable on said beam, means for shifting said carriage, means for oscillating said beam to open or close the gate, a bell or alarm, and mechanism for automatically sounding the latter simultaneously with the closing of the Gate. b 11. The combination of a shaft, a gate operated thereby, a toothed segment attached to said shaft, a bell or alarm, a pivoted lever for sounding the latter, provided with a pivoted pawl which engages the teeth of said segment,

and a spring for holding said pawl in contact with said segment, said spring permitting said pawl to yield during the opening of the gate, substantially as set forth.

12. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a shaft, a gate operated thereby, an oscillating beam attached to said shaft, means for oscillating said beam to open or close the gate, a toothed segment, also attached to said shaft, a bell or alarm, a pivoted lever for sounding the latter, provided with a pivoted pawl which engages the teeth of said segment, and a spring for holding said pawl in contact with said segment. Y

13. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a shaft, a gate operated thereby, an oscillating beam attached to said shaft, a carriage movable on said beam, means for shifting said carriage, means for oscillating said beam to open or close the gate, a toothed segment attached to said shaft, a bell or alarm, a pivoted lever forsounding the latter, provided with a pivoted pawl which engages said segment, and spring for holding said pawl in contact with said segment.

14. In a gate operating mechanism, the

combination of a main shaft and a shifting beam fixed thereon, said beam being adapted to carry a shifting carriage or frame movable from end to end thereof by a draftchain communicating therewith, and to be actuated to shift the gate by a power acting on either side of the main shaft.

V 15. ,In a gate operating mechanism, the combination of a rock-shaft and an oscillating beam fixed to and extending across said shaft atan angle of forty-five degrees or thereabout, substantially as described.

16. In a gate mechanism, the combination of a main shaft, a gate-arm attached thereto, and an oscillating beam fixed to and extending obliquely across said shaft, substantially as described.

17. In a gate operating mechanism, the combination of a rock shaft, an oscillating beam fixed to and extending obliquely across said shaft, and ashifting-spring adaptedto operate at either end of said beam on opposite sides of said shaft to rock the latter for the opening and closing of the gate, substantially as described.

1S. In a gate mechanism, the combination of a rock-shaft, an oscillating beam fixed to and extending obliquely across said shaft, a shi fting-spring adapted to operate at either end of said beam on opposite sides of said shaft to rock the latter for the opening and closing of the gate, and a gate-arm attached to said shaft.

GEORGE WELLS WAY. ALMON FRANKLIN HILL.

Vlitnesses:

CHARLns F. LUeY, Gno. O. TUrrLn.

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